diff --git a/libs/ui/EventHub.cpp b/libs/ui/EventHub.cpp
index e39a35759..4aac45515 100644
--- a/libs/ui/EventHub.cpp
+++ b/libs/ui/EventHub.cpp
@@ -489,6 +489,7 @@ int EventHub::open_device(const char *deviceName)
 {
     int version;
     int fd;
+    int attempt;
     struct pollfd *new_mFDs;
     device_t **new_devices;
     char **new_device_names;
@@ -500,12 +501,17 @@ int EventHub::open_device(const char *deviceName)
     LOGV("Opening device: %s", deviceName);
 
     AutoMutex _l(mLock);
-    
-    fd = open(deviceName, O_RDWR);
+
+    for (attempt = 0; attempt < 10; attempt++) {
+        fd = open(deviceName, O_RDWR);
+        if (fd >= 0) break;
+        usleep(100);
+    }
     if(fd < 0) {
         LOGE("could not open %s, %s\n", deviceName, strerror(errno));
         return -1;
     }
+    LOGV("Opened device: %s (%d failures)", deviceName, attempt);
 
     if(ioctl(fd, EVIOCGVERSION, &version)) {
         LOGE("could not get driver version for %s, %s\n", deviceName, strerror(errno));